The inaugural Challenge Šamorín in Slovakia, which takes place as part of a multi-day sports festival on 15-21 August, is getting primed to showcase ‘one of the most prestigious sporting facilities in Europe’.

Formerly known as the Elements Resort in Šamorín, and now branded as x-bionic sphere, the extensive sports facility aims to offer up a ‘whole universe of sports, leisure and innovation.’

The x-bionic sphere is delivered in partnership with the global premium sport brand X-BIONIC; and the unique, multi-functional sports complex is billed as ‘a haven for discerning visitors, professional athletes and teams, sports enthusiasts, families, business leaders as well as health and wellness seekers.’

Challenge Šamorín Race Director, Stefan Kral noted that the attractiveness of the new event at x-bionic sphere has been supported by the early confirmed attendance of several top Czech and Slovak triathletes – Peter Vabrousek, Karol Dzalaj, Kristina Nec-Lapinova, Nikola Corbova and the world star triathlete and current ETU European Middle Distance Champion, Filip Ospaly.

In addition to the pros, Challenge Šamorín is open to athletes of all age categories and performance levels. The organizing team add that ‘you can compete with the best and experience the atmosphere of a competition with hundreds of competitors and thousands of encouraging spectators by the course.’

In order to provide preparation for athletes training for the inaugural Challenge Šamorín half distance triathlon, as well as the upcoming tri season in general, x-bionic sphere is organizing several triathlon camps over the coming months. Dates of the camps will follow in the next few weeks.

The camps will focus on all tri disciplines – swim, bike, run plus transition.

Swim Training in the water will focus on improving swimming technique and the core fitness of the participants, including body position, stroke, kick and the overall feel for the water. Sessions will be adjusted to the individual needs and levels of each athlete, whether he or she is a novice or an elite swimmer.

Swimming will be video recorded, and training will be followed by individual video analysis with practical demonstrations. The course will end with a short seminar dedicated to swimming technique, aimed to help the athletes continue training effectively after the camp.

x-bionic sphere offers an indoor 25m Olympic parameter pool with 8 lanes and an outdoor 50m Olympic parameter pool with 10 lanes. The unique location of the complex also provides the athletes with direct access to the Danube River, where they can improve their open water technique.

Bike Cycling training will aim to improve basic endurance with a ‘spin to win’ philosophy. Training in the surroundings of x-bionic sphere is billed as ‘a real treat for triathlon lovers, as there is little traffic and the roads are well maintained.’

The athletes will be able to cycle on the exact route of Challenge Samorin, helping to familiarize participants with the race course and giving them the advantage of knowing what to expect on race day. In case of bad weather, there is an option to spin on turbo trainers available in the ‘x-bionic sphere Fitness Universe’ with an area of more than 1,000m².

Run x-bionic sphere offers an array of running options with varying surfaces, ‘ensuring a truly complete and complex preparation’. An 8-track & field athletic oval with IAAF certification, 4-track training oval, 200m warm up track, and a speed and resistance incline/decline 130m track represent ‘only a fraction of facilities that the athletes will be able to utilize while training.’

Aiming to enhance the athlete’s running technique and develop a faster pace, the training will include long runs, sprints, fartlek, brick sessions and interval runs, all adjusted to the individual pace of each athlete, focusing on training optimization.

Runs will be followed by stretching with professional assistance and mentoring to ensure proper recovery. All training sessions will be led by ‘professional coaches with plenty of experience who are ready to motivate and challenge every participant.’

A day full of training can be complemented by a relaxing evening in the luxurious wellness center or fun family activities in x-bionic sphere’s very own cinema and bowling bar. Children can enjoy themselves in the x-bionic aquatic sphere or try horse-riding in x-bionic equestor sphere.

The x-bionic sphere is located in the middle of Europe, in the vicinity of two major capitals and their international airports: Vienna in Austria and Bratislava, Slovakia. The organisation adds that it the sports facility is easily accessible from every European country within less than 3 hours.

Covering a total area of more than 1,000,000 m², x-bionic sphere is open year-round and designed to meet the highest requirements of athletes and the general public. With facilities for 27 Olympic sport disciplines, after an active day visitors can also unwind and relax in the luxurious wellness center, enjoy an exclusive selection of restaurants and bars, lounges and recreational areas.